Hat-stretcher.



A. HOFF.

HAT STRETGHER.

APPLIOAT ION FILED APR. 18, 1914.

Patented Nov. 24, 1914.

lNVE/V TOR. By firno/c/ H0 ATTORNE ARNOLD HOIEF, OENEW YORK, N. Y.

HAT-STRETCHER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 24, 191 1..

Application filed April 18, 1914. Serial No. 832,785.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that I, ARNOLD Horr, a sub ject of the King of Hungary, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hat-Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a device for stretching felt and like hats, particularly while in the process of manufacture, and consists in' the provision of a crown block which is divided vertically into a number of parts which are carried by levers adapted to be actuated by means of a treadle for separating the parts of the block, thereby stretching the crown applied to the same.

- 'The block parts are made hollow, and means are provided for feeding them with steam which passes into the hat material through perforations made in the outer wall of the block. v

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing which shows the preferred form of construction, partly in elevation and partly in section.

Referring. more particularly to the drawing, on a table 1 an upright post 2, having four radiating bifurcated arms 3, is mounted. Each arm has within its fork a double armed lever 4 which is supported on the arms by means of trunnions 5, the-arrangement being such that the trunnions can easily be lifted out of their bearings, should a it be desired to remove the levers. The levers are adapted to rock about the trunnions in vertical planes, and each one carries on its upper end the fourth part of a crown block 6 by means of which the hats are to be stretched. Springs 7, connected to the upper arms of each pair of diametrically opposed levers, hold the block parts 6 normally assembled into one structure. For stretching the hat crown applied to the block, the parts of the latter are separated by rocking the levers about their trunnions.

This is effected by means of a treadle 8 which is connected by means of wire ropes 9 or the like to the lower lever arms which diverge outward from the post 2 so as to have'sufiicient freedom of movement. The ropes or cords 9, which pass through slots 10 in the table 1 and which are guided over sheaves 11, are connected to the treadle 8'by means of a spider 12 which is loosel held on a headed bolt 13 so that it can u l uniformly on the lovers irrespective o the position of the treadle. Eyed screw bolts 14;, which hold the ropes, can be adjusted for distributing the tension equally between the ropes.

The post 2 is preferably extended upward beyond the position of the arms 3 and fitted at the upper end with another set of bifurcated arms 13 adapted to serve as guides and abutments for the levers and to steady the movement of the latter.

The block parts 6 are hollow, and each one communicates, through the upper lever arm and through one of the trunnions, with a flexible pipe 16 by means of which it can be fed with steam. The pipes 16 are connected to the trunnions by means of elbows 17 and are passed through the table. 1 underneath where they are connected to a tank 18 adapted to collect condensed water. The tank 18 receives the steam from a supply pipe 19 having a valve 20 which is arranged so as to be easily accessible to the operator. The elbows 17 move with the levers, and the pipes 16 adjust themselves to the movement by bending. The outer walls of the stretching blocks are perforated so that the'steam can pass through the hat pivoted to the table and adapted to be operated by means of a toggle mechanism arranged between them. he toggle links may be connected to a collar which is slidably held on a central post and supported by a spring, the collar being connected by cords to the treadle so that it can be depressed by means of the latter for expanding the stretching block.

t will be understood that while I have shown and described the preferred forms of my'invention that I do not wish to be limitedto the mechanical details shown, and further, that parts of my invention may be used without using thewhole.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A hat stretcher comprising, in combination, a crown blockdivided vertically into a number of hollow partsthe outer walls of which atre'perforated for the purpose of admitting steam into the hat materiel, said hollow parts carried by pivotednrms edjusteloly connected to and adapted to be opereted by means of-e treedle.

2.. A. device of the character described comprising four double armed levers carrying the parts of a crown block and being themselves carried by trunnions in bifurone, erms connected to an upright post, the

ing hollow and adapted to communicate with the block part through the upper lever arm, flexible pipes connected with the hollow trunnions and communicating with n tank arranged under the table top, and means for feeding steam into said tank substantially as end for the purpose set forth. w

In testimony whereof ll oifix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ARNQLD HUFF.

Witnesses:

FRED Rowen, Am i A on Hemmer-m 

